Method of making decorative rubber sheeting



AJuly 12 ,-1927 1,635,684

T. J. MELL METHoD oF MAKING DECORATIVE :RUBBER SHEETING original Filed Dec. 1`8; 1924 im j Ji@- Patent-Ld July 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TOD J'. MELLOF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE B. F. GOODRICH COMPANY, 'OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. l

METHOD OF MAKING DECORATIVE RUBBER SHEETING.

Application led December 18, 1924, Serial No. 756,684. Renewed May 11, 1927.

duction of patterned sheets by forming a rubber matrix, flowing rubber of different Vcolor into the interstices of the rmatrix by pressure, and slicing the composite structure through lines of color division. My

present invention is also related to that delscribed and claimed in my United Statesv Patent No. 1,588,797 granted June 15, 1926.

One of the chief objects of my present invention is to provide an improved method for producin rubber sheets having'relatively extensive gures of solid color or ot continuousl conglomerate composition. Another object 1s to provide an improved method for obtaining a three-color sheet or a sheet presenting several configurations of different colors or color-mixtures.

e Of the accompanying drawings:

Fi 1 is a perspective view of a'moldl mem r adapted for the performance of my improved method in its preferred form and the work in' plan thereon, at an early stage of the method. g

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-section of the same and of a coacting mold member at a later sta e, on line 2-2ofFig. 1, press platens` em racing the mold assembly being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a still g5 later stage.

Fig. 4 1s a perspective view of a composite sheet in process of being sliced to produce a plurality of sheets.

In the form of my present invention @a shown in the accompanying drawings, some of the design elements are first formed as individual rubber blocks, a mass of plastic rubber of dierent color or composition is then flowed into the spaces between the blocks t3 while the latter are sup orted in spaced relation, said plastic rub er preferably con'- tinuing as an integral mass common to and voverlying the several blocks. The plastic rubber thus flowed into the spaces between @5D the blocks is preferably so molded as to provide spaces or interstices to be filled by still another application of plastic rubber, to provide another color or color-mixture in the design, the composite mass being sliced through the several elements, preferably lsanfter they have been unified by vulcanizaion.

Referring first to Fig. 1, design elements of stili' rubber composition, here shown as diamond shaped blocks 10, 10 and starshaped blocks 11, 11, are individually formed as by molding and partially vulcanizing, by cutting them from partially vulcanized sheets, or by shaping them from a comparatively stif rubberk compound, so that they may resist deformation in ythe subsequent steps. These blocks are placed as shown, or in such design arrangement as may be desired, in the cavities defined by grating elements 12, 12 rising from the face of a mold member 13, the ratin elements bein gral with the said mo d member in t e apparatus here shown. The mold section 13, grating elements 12 and design elements 10, 11, thus provide a matrix.

A sheet of plastic rubber compound 14, differing in color from the elements 10 and inte- 11 is then laid over the latter and by heat and pressure caused to flow into the spaces about said elements, as by placing a smoothface'd mold section 15 upon the assembly, said section 15 being adapted to telescope with the section 13, and pressing the mold vassembly between hot-plates 16, 17, a fabric backing sheet 18 preferably being laid upon the filler sheet 14 before the upper mold section 15 is mounted. The application of heat and pressure is lpreferably continued until the'filler compound not only fills the spaces about the elements 10, 11 but is partially vulcanized, so as to adhere to said elements and to the fabric backing .16 and ac uire sucient stidness to resist distortion 1n a subsequent filling step.

The united elements of the work are then removed from the mold sections 15 and 13 as a unitary assembly and are inverted in a vplane-faced mold section 19, the upper face dll filler compound, Q0, upon the assembly, applying a top mold section 21, which telescopes with the section 19, and pressing the mold assembly between the hot plates 16, 17 as shown in Fig. 3, a. fabric backing sheet 22 preferably being laid upon the filler sheet 20, under the top mold section 21.

The heat and pressure is then maintained until the several elements of the work are firmly united by vulcanization. The vulcanizing time and temperature characteristics of the several rubber compounds are preferably so controlled, by choice and proportion of ingredients, that the several compounds will attain approximately the same degree of ifulcanization at this stage oli the process, which is to say that a relatively slow curing compound preferably. is used t'or the elements l0, 11, a quicker compound for the filler sheet 14:, and a still quicker compound for the second .liller sheet 20. Adhesion of the several compounds may be improved by applying a coating of rubber cement to each before the next is pressed against it.

llihen the vulcanizing step illustrated in Fig. 3 is completed the work, in the form of a composite, fabric-faced sheet 23, is removed trom the mold sections 19,041 and split or sliced in a plane parallel to its more extensive faces as shown in Fig. 4, the plane ot the cut passing through the several different compounds, which overlap each other in the direction of the thickness of the composite sheet. The cut surface thus presents design elements having` colors or color mixtures corresponding,` respectively to the three types ot' compounds employed. l do not wholly limit my claims, however, to the use ot only three types ol compound, as the method is susceptible of var1ous modification.

'lhe slicing ot the sheet is best accomplished by means ol an ordinary type of leather splitter, as represented in Fig. 4 by the lced rolls F24. 25, band knife 26 and lrnitihguide 27.

litter the composite sheet 23 has been sliced as described. the cut surfaces preferably are smoothed, as by abrading or by further vulcaiiiaing cach ot the resulting sheets with its cnt surface in Contact with a smooth-surfaced pressing member.

ln the procedure described, the larger de sign elemente being first lrnmed and assembled in spaced relation. distortion of the design is avoided as compared with flowing plastic stock into spaces intervening between relatiif'ely small elements. the larger elements having` greater stability ot position and term. ,lhe elements first assemblati, being termed as separate blocks, may be economically produced and may be arranged in dil ferent design formations in successive assemblies without change ot equipmeiit. rthe Atiret filler steelt being molded i h inter"- teaaeea stices or depressions for the reception ot' another filler stock, an extensive range of color combinations may be conveniently employed.

In the specilic procedure described the rubber compositions 14 and 20 are continuous throughout the extent of the composite sheet 23, each providing an integral bonding element common to the several blocks 10, 11, which is of advantage in providing strength in the final product, but I do not wholly limit my claims to this feature. Neither do I wholly limit my claims to molding the depressions in the filler 14 Jfrom the reverse side of the assembly.

l claim:

l. The method of making decorative rubber sheeting which comprises assembling in spaced relation a lurality of separate blocks of relatively stili rubber composition, and flowing a filler of plastic rubber composition by pressure into the spaces between said blocks.

2. The method of making decorative rubber sheeting which comprises assembling in spaced relation a plurality of'separate blocks of relatively stiff rubber composition, flowf me a liller of plastic rubber composition by pressure into the spaces between said bloclrs and slicino' the resulting mass through said blocks and filler.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 in which the blocks and the filler are united by vulcanization.

4. l method as defined in claim 2 in which the blocks and the liller are united by vuln canization.

5. lThe method of making decorative rubber sheeting which comprises preparing an assembly et' spaced apart design elements. flowing a filler ot plastic rubber composition into the spaces between the saine, mold" ing a depression in said liller between said design elements, and flowing a second filler into said depression.

C. The method ot making decorative rubber sheeting which comprises pressing a design element et a relatively st-itl? rubber composition into a mass ot plastic rubber conv position, molding a depression in the latter adjacent said design element, lilling said depression with a second mass of plastic rubber composition, and slicing the resulting mass by a out extending through said design element and the two said masses.

7. t method as defined in claim 5 in which the first liller is stiitened by vulcanization betere the second filler is applied.

8. A method as defined in claim 6 in which the lirst plastic mass is stili'ened by into a matriir, molding depression in the 'llllli lll) said plastic, filling said de ression with a second plastic, stifening t e plastics, and slicing the resulting composite mass by a cut extending through the .several mentioned elements thereof.

10. The method of making a decorative article which comprises preparing a matrix comprising article-forming material, filling the interstices of, said matrix -with a filler material, forming a depression in said filler material, lling said depression with a second tller material, and removing material from the surface of the composite mass to expose the internal structure thereof as a` surface of the article.

11. The method of ymaking decorative sheeting which comprises holding in spaced relation a plurality of design elementsof stifti sheeting material, pressing a plastic into the spaces between the same fromv one sidel of the assembly while molding depressions in said plastic from the other side -of the assembly filling said depressions with a second plastic, stiiening said plastics, and slicing the resulting composite mass by a cut extending through the several mentioned elements thereof.

12. The method of making decorative sheeting which comprises holding in spaced relation a plurality of design elements of sheeting material, so pressing a sheet of plastic material against said elements as to cause it to give oli' stock into the spaces between the same but to continue to overlie said design elements as an integral bonding element common to said design elements, molding depressions inthe-plastic stock in said spaces from the reverse side of the assembly, so pressing a sheet-of plastic material against the said reverse side of .the assembly as to cause it to give off stock into the said depressions but to continue to overlie the assembly as an integral lbonding elementfcommon to the said design elements, stiffening the plastic masses, and slicing the resulting composite mass by a cut'extending through the said design elements.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day ofTlecember 1924.

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